Compulsorily Retired Police DIG Demands N550 Million As Damages

A Deputy Inspector General  (DIG) of Police, Moses Jitoboh, is seeking N550 million as damages for his mandatory retirement before 60 years.

Jitoboh has prayed the National Industrial Court in Abuja to declare his retirement by the Police Service Commission (PSC) before his mandatory 60 years retirement age or 35 years in service, as wrongful, unconstitutional and unlawful.

It would be recalled that in August, the PSC, in a statement, disclosed the retirement of Jitoboh and three others.

Their retirement, according to the PSC, was in line with the police tradition of retiring officers when a junior police officer is promoted over senior officers to avoid ‘status reversal’.

However, the PSC’s decision did not sit well with Jitoboh, hence his request to the industrial court to not only reinstate him but also demand damages to the tune of N550 million “for the unwarranted embarrassment caused by the purported termination of my employment,” contending that the development portrayed him as a disloyal officer.

Jitoboh, in his statement of claims filed before the court, described his compulsory retirement as a flagrant violation of Rule 020810 of the Public Service Rules and Section 18 (8) of the Nigeria Police Act, 2020.

He also wants the court to compel the PSC to pay him an additional N50m as the cost of filing the lawsuit.